


Stagnant Pools and Beacons of Light

by JushMochiru



Category: Granblue Fantasy (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-06-22 20:39:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15590274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JushMochiru/pseuds/JushMochiru
Summary: Immortality: A Door to Unlimited Beginnings or a Shackle of Sentimental DelusionsThis is the story of a young Primal's face-off with his past, present and his future.





	Stagnant Pools and Beacons of Light

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was written for the Granblue Fantasy Tarot Project — Crosswinds (@gbf_tarot on Twitter)  
> I was assigned to write for Noa - The Ace of Wands.
> 
> Here's a bit of info on the Ace of Wands tarot card: When upright the card symbolizes Inspiration, Power, Creation, Beginnings as well as Potential. However, when reversed it represents Delays, Lack of Motivation and Weighed Down

“THREE!.... TWO!... ONE!!... HAPPY NEW YEAR!!”

 

As the clock struck midnight, the dawn of a new year was greeted by a rupture of applause and laughter. For the crew of the Grandcypher, this signaled both the beginning of a new chapter in their journey as well as the height of their joyous celebration. For the adults, this meant cracking open copious new bottles of alcohol; while for the little ones, the strike of twelve meant it was finally time to retire off into dreamland.

Sneaking out from the hustle and bustle, a lone young man found himself resting against the wooden railings of the enormous airship. As opposed to the warm orange glow of the lights indoors, the outside world seemed like an entirely different realm – a blanket of darkness that seemed to stretch into eternity, along with millions of stars that dotted the canvas like diamonds.

Drawn in by the serene moment, the young man stretched out his hand as far as he could, as if trying to grab the heavens itself. A smile played on his lips as he felt the gentle, crisp winter breeze against his pale skin, the chill tingling the tip of his nose all the way down to his bare feet.

“Happy New Year,” Noa softly repeated to himself,

“Looks like the party is still going strong. I really hope they don’t overdo it again like last year.” He chuckled, recalling memories of last year’s party. “Tomorrow morning is going to be rough.”

Turning his attention onto the vessel, the young man gently placed his hand upon his cherished creation; tracing the little scuffs and dents in the woodwork, “We’ve been through quite a lot haven’t we?” Noa whispered, “In addition to this last year, please take care of us on our journey for the years to come, Grandcypher.”

With a soft smile, he reminisced on the adventures they’ve had together as a crew. The places they’ve been, the hardships they’ve faced, sorrows they’ve overcome and successes they’ve attained. Not to mention the people they’d met and the bonds they’ve forged were just as boundless as the skies they navigate. Noa knew very well that their journey was still far from over, and things would get even more harrowing and perilous than before. He prays that whatever the outcome may be at the end, his companions would find happiness.

“Another year, another step closer to reaching Estalucia.” he thought to himself, “Then we’ll reunite the Captain with their father, learn the truth about Lyria and Vyrn, and finally…”

 

“..Finally…”

 

Noa suddenly stopped. “Huh?” His smile instantaneously dying as he struggled to finish his sentence. “And then… what would happen after that?”

“Then.. our journey will finally be over… and we’ll all go our separate ways? Wait. No. That’s not it. Will all of us part just like that?”

“Reaching Estalucia means that the Grandcypher would have served its final purpose. The airship would no longer be needed.”

Slowly reaching for his sky blue scarf, his fingers tightly grasped at the fabric. His vision started to cloud. Panic slowly sunk in, beginning to swirl and cluster.

“Then what about me… Would I too have to part ways with the Captain? With Lyria, Vyrn? Even with Rackam? Even if not then. One day surely.”

Noa’s senses dulled, unable to hear anything past his own thundering heartbeat. Breathing became harder, shallower. Chest tightening with every second that ticked by as if it were to burst; the pain ebbed and flowed through his very being like barbed vines narrowing its grasp around his heart. He wanted to scream. He wanted to run.

“Then I’ll be alone again?” He laughed dryly, “Ahh.. It’s not supposed to end this way.”

He knew this familiar feeling all too well. A painted memory flashed through his mind, jolting him back to Golonzo Island, back to the years awaiting Rackam’s return. Day in and day out, just waiting and yearning. Wondering if the day would ever come when his friend would return and fulfill his promise. Despite clinging onto hope, he couldn’t ignore the chilling anxiety that gnawed at him day by day.

‘Loneliness’? Was that what it was? A stalemate. Drowning. Excruciating. Hollow. Empty. A slow poison seeping through his veins, eating the life right out of him. Its grasp was suffocating as each day dragged in and out.

The sick memory replayed over and over in his mind like a broken record,

“No. Please.. Don’t leave me again…”

 

 

“My, my, is that really how you greet the New Year? With an expression like that people might mistake you for attending a funeral, not a New Year’s party.”

A sudden familiar voice snaps the young man back to reality. 

“R- Rosetta?…”

“Here” she said, handing the still dazed Noa a mug.

“What-”

“Just drink.”

Obediently bringing the rim to his lips, he took a sip of its strange, brown contents. “It’s sweet…”

“It’s hot chocolate.”

With a nod, he proceeded to take a few more gulps of the homemade drink; its warmth gently enveloping and soothing his nerves.

“You really do love to pop in and out of places don’t you, Rosetta?” the young man replied, placing the near-empty cup down. “How did you even know I was here?”

“Hmmm.. call it a woman’s intuition?” Rosetta threw an innocent smile, before her expression reverted back to worry, “But jokes aside, are you alright?”

No reply.

“I know what you’re thinking, and it’s not my intention to pry into something you don’t want to talk about, but know that we’re always here for you. So if you allow it, I want to help.”

Rosetta took the extended silence as her cue to leave, knowing that the boy might still need some space. However, Noa abruptly responded back before she got her chance.

“Haha.. Don’t worry, I understand. I never planned on trying to feign innocence anyway.” He said, thinking that there was no merit in hiding the truth at this point. As Noa’s usually calm disposition grew stern once more, he took a deep breath and continued.

“Rosetta, were you ever worried what would happen to you after your journey with the Captain’s father ended? Like, when you finally had to say goodbye for good?”

The boy rambled on, scrambling through his words as she listened.

“Noa, forgive me for saying this, but if my hunch is correct, I’m afraid there’s no gentle way to put this.” Rosetta spoke up, “Especially for primal beings like us, saying goodbye isn’t something we can label as ‘uncommon’. No matter how hard we wish to ignore it, reality will eventually catch up to us. As harsh as that sounds, that’s life. We have to accept the truth in front of us and learn to let go or else that pain will consume us.”

Noa bit his lip, avoiding Rosetta’s gaze.

“You and I both know this better than anyone else…”

“I was afraid you’d say that…” he replied in a low voice, “So that’s it then? We live our lives just to be left behind over and over again?”

“Noa-“

“I guess this is our punishment then, for being born as weapons of war…”, he blurted under his breath; to which he immediately wished he hadn’t.

Rosetta opened her mouth to rebut, but was stunned to find that she couldn’t. Noa’s bitter words had shot her right where it mattered most.

“R- Rosetta.. I-”

“Then if that’s the case, do you think it would’ve been better if you never met any of us?” the woman harshly interjected, cutting his to-be apology short.

“What?”

“If you never met any of us or joined the crew, things would be much easier wouldn’t it? It’ll spare you from all the fear and pain of saying goodbye. So, do you actually regret meeting-“

“No! I never said that!!”

Caught off-guard by the notion of Rosetta’s words, he impulsively denied her statement before she could even finish. His sudden outburst of emotion ripped through the stagnant atmosphere, reverberating through the hollow deck of the vessel. The boy stood there, wide-eyed like a creature caught in the headlights; stunned at his own voice.

“Ah! Sorry.. I just-” Noa stammered, quick to apologize this time.

“Well, that certainly _did_ surprise me,” Rosetta said, unable to hide the relieved smile on her face, “Hearing that makes me glad, knowing you still think so highly of us.”

“Of course I do! If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be this afraid. I am who I am today because of everybody here. You all mean so much to me, I just can’t bear the thought of never seeing any of you again.”

The woman listened in silence.

“I’m so afraid, I can’t _stand_ it anymore. Rosetta, please.. just tell me..” his desperate voice quivering, nearing his breaking point, “What should I do?..”

Noa could feel himself slipping away once again, his head starting to cloud and the lines between reality and fear began to blur. Knees buckling under the stress and were about to give way until, Rosetta suddenly reached out to him. Drawing the boy in closer, she braced him up like a crutch; her soft expression reflected in Noa’s eyes as if saying: ‘I’m right here.’

“You know Noa, there’s this saying: ‘Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all’.”

“What I’m trying to say is, instead of constantly fearing the inevitable, you should cherish every waking moment you have with them right now. So when the time finally comes when we part ways, you won’t call these memories ‘regrets’. You’ll see them off on their next journey with a smile, as you set off on your own path.”

Her hand tightened over Noa’s shoulder; her grip firm but reassuring. Warm and encouraging.

“It won’t be easy to let go just like that, it _will_ take time. But what’s important is that you keep moving forward. Don’t be afraid, and don’t let your memories weigh you down. Your life won’t end after just one fateful meeting.”

“I mean, look at me!” Rosetta gestured to herself gleefully, “I’m proof that that path exists.”

Noa couldn’t really explain it but as Rosetta continued to talk, he slowly found his heavy heart starting to lift. The spark returning to his eyes. Her words, steeped with truth and confidence, poured hope and strength back in; liberating him from his own shackles. Before long, the corners of his mouth began to curve upwards and a small smile finally crept onto the boy’s face.

“Where one journey ends, another begins.”

“And who knows, one day you might go on adventures with another crew; one you’ll cherish just as much as this one. You’ll be able to tell them all sorts of stories about _The_ crew of the Grandcypher. Show them the true limits of how free a skyfarer can be!”

“Rosetta…”

“Their tales today can become someone else's beacon of light. Kind of like how Rackam helped inspire you, don’t you think?” she said, winking, her grin as bright as the sun itself.

Taking a deep breath, Noa turned to glance back at the vast sky spread before him.

“Beacon of light, huh?” he yearningly sighed, “I like the sound of that.”

“So, what are you going to do now?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. You can’t blame me that I’m still afraid of the future, but this time I’ll try to move forward, one step at a time. As for now, let’s see them through till the very end.”

“Yeah.”

“And Rosetta, thank you.”

Without warning, the door behind them swung open and the familiar voice of a little girl piped up, “Ahh! There they are!”. Rushing out to greet them was a young, blue-haired girl, a small dragon and their Captain in tow.

“I guess it’s about time we return to the party,” Noa giggled, “Oh, but-“

“Don’t worry.” The woman smiled, lightly placing a finger on her lips,

“This will be our little secret~”

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! I really hope you enjoyed reading my story!! :D
> 
> I really love Noa's character in GBF, how he's shown to be a cheerful and easy-going character all the while hiding the more serious side of his personality; so I thought it would be interesting to go with a more serious story for him.  
> As for why I chose Rosetta, I figured having someone with a lot of common ground with Noa (biggest example: both being primals) would make it easier for both characters to empathize with each other.  
> That and the 'reliable big sister' trope is perfect for consoling~
> 
> This is the first time I've uploaded my work in AO3 and I'm really thankful to be a part of this wonderful project! It really is a great honor to be able to work alongside with so many talented artists and writers and I'm hoping we could do more projects like this in the future as well!!


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